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Monday, March 6, 2017

Tears flow as hundreds hold vigil for Pastor Raymond Koh

Some 300 people gathered near the Selangor police headquarters in Shah Alam tonight for a vigil in solidarity with family members of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in Petaling Jaya on Feb 13.

Their initial plan to gather outside the station was cancelled after objections from the police, who deployed some 50 personnel, including Light Strike Force officers, to stand guard along the main road since about 8pm.

The crowd demanded answers from the authorities as 21 days have passed since the abduction, and there was no information about Koh’s whereabouts.
Koh's wife Susanna Liew was also in tears when she addressed the crowd.

"We will meet him again. To the abductors, please, please release him. He's a good man, he's been helping the poor the marginalised, the needy.

"He's been giving free food for the poor in KL. He's been helping those affected with HIV/AIDS and even started a football team for the youths and plays football with them," Liew said.

She also pleaded to those with information or had witnessed the abduction to assist police investigations.

At the end of her speech, the crowd broke into small groups to pray for Koh's safe return and dispersed about 9.30pm.

Although the mood was sombre, many who attended expressed hope and spoke for unity.

A woman who gave her name as Madam Tan said that she heard of the gathering through word of mouth.

"He (Koh) is a good man. When he has been abducted just like that, I feel we should all stand together.

"I don't care if you are Chinese, Indian, Malay or other races. Malaysia is not a gangster state," said Tan who was accompanied by her daughters.